Downing Street Says » 2007

» Tuesday, June 19, 2007

EU Council

Asked if the agreement between France and Spain changed our position, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) replied that the best person to ask about that was President Sarkozy, which was why the Prime Minister and Chancellor were asking him tonight. In terms of our basic negotiating position, the answer was: no.

Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Lord Levy’s party

Asked if the Prime Minister was going to Lord Levy's leaving party, the PMOS replied that he did not know, but it was a private engagement, so he would not comment.

Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Prisoners

Asked what the Prime Minister thought of the prisoners being let out early to relieve overcrowding, the PMOS said that people should wait for the statements in the Houses this afternoon. The PMOS said that crime was down by over a third; there were 5.8 million fewer offences. That was partly due to the fact that we had more police officers on the streets, but also, because we had been catching more people and giving them longer prison sentences. We had also been convicting more people, and that therefore created more pressures in the prison systems. Since 1997, there had been 20,000 extra prison places built, and in the last 2 years, there had been 3500 extra new places, as well as 8000 more in the pipeline, including 700 this year. However, there were pressures within the system, and we had to recognise that.

Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Defence Statement

Asked for more information about Des Browne's statement this afternoon in the House, the PMOS explained that there were two different reports, one (Fulton Report) which was confidential, addressed the questions around the rules of engagement and standard operating procedures used by the Navy in the Gulf. That would be briefed to the House of Commons Defence Select Committee. The second report (Hall Report) addressed the media handling during subsequent incidents, and that was what Des Browne would talk about. At the same time, Lord Drayson would speak in the House of Lords.

Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

» Monday, June 18, 2007

EU Council

Put to the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) that Geoff Hoon had said that the door had been left "ajar" with regards to the EU referendum, and was that true, the PMOS said that what the Prime Minister had said at the Liaison Committee meeting earlier today spoke for itself. In terms of the UK's perspective, any deal had to respect the four red lines. If it did not, then there was not a deal. Full stop.

Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Salman Rushdie

Asked if we had had any contact with the Pakistanis regarding Salman Rushdie's knighthood, the PMOS said not that he was aware of.

Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

House of Lords

Put that at the Liaison Committee today, the Prime Minister had said that he was opposed to a fully appointed House of Lords, yet he had voted for 50%, the PMOS replied that while the Prime Minister had not changed his mind, he recognised that the Government committed itself in the last election to try and seek a consensus. Therefore, he was prepared to move his voting position in terms of trying to seek a consensus. As it turned out, there was not one.

Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

» Friday, June 15, 2007

Violence in Gaza

Asked if Downing Street was saying anything about the violence in Gaza, the Prime Minister's Spokesman (PMS) replied that the Foreign Secretary had been engaged in this and had spoken to President Abbas within the last 24 hours. We believed it was key that those on the ground now bring an end to the violence in order that the international community can re-engage with the humanitarian and political situation. Asked about the Prime Minister, the PMS replied that the Prime Minister has been kept fully engaged and his views were represented by those of the Foreign Secretary.

Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

EU

Asked if the Prime Minister agreed with Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's description of the revived EU Constitution, the PMS replied that it was clear that there would be serious negotiations between now and the EU Summit next week. We welcomed that there was now a consensus around the UK view that this should be an amending treaty. And whilst we would not usually get into discussing internal working documents, because of the way it has been misrepresented in some of this morning's papers, it was helpful to set out that this document was a description rather than a prescription. It set out the views of member states, including our own, and other member states who did not necessarily share our view. But it was not, as perhaps has been reported, a prescription as to what should happen. It was a reflection of people's views.

Briefing took place at 9:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

» Thursday, June 14, 2007

Prime Minister’s visit to North West England

The Prime Minister's Spokesman (PMS) told journalists that the Prime Minister would be visiting the North West this afternoon. He would visit the Kirkby campus of Knowsley College, where he would be taken on a tour and officially open the new Management Innovation Centre. The Prime Minister would then go onto a second location, which was the Yew Tree Community Health and Children's Centre in Dovecot, which he would officially open.

Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comment (1)

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» Tuesday, June 19, 2007

EU Council

Lord Levy’s party

Prisoners

Defence Statement

» Monday, June 18, 2007

EU Council

Salman Rushdie

House of Lords

» Friday, June 15, 2007

Violence in Gaza

EU

» Thursday, June 14, 2007

Prime Minister’s visit to North West England

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